Method for producing a weight

ABSTRACT

A method for producing a weight comprising following steps: (a) grinding a barium sulfate ore into powder, (b) mixing the barium sulfate ore powder with dihydrolipoyl and solidifying agent, (c) extruding the mixture, and (d) die-casting the extruded mixture into a weight of a predetermined shape.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a sports facility, and more particularly to a method for producing a weight used in sports field, without using cast iron or steel, so as to save cost.

2. Description of Related Arts

At present, the weight training facilities, such as dumbbell, weight stack, and so on, are made of metal material, mainly of pig iron castings. Each year, a great amount of pig iron is consumed on the weight training facilities. However, the international price of iron ore is constantly going up, so that the cost of dumbbell and weight stack made of iron is steadily increasing too. Very soon, the manufactures won't make any money with the traditional manufacturing method.

In addition, the traditional casting technique needs a cupola to smelt iron, which takes up a large manufacturing area, and consumes a lot of energy. Most importantly, the cupola will discharge a great amount of pollutant so as to cause air pollution. The traditional casting technique also needs manual modeling, which requests a lot of skilled labors and labor intensity, and the whole manufacturing process requires a lot of time, so that the frequency of product delivering is low.

Furthermore, the traditional pig iron casting has holes and cold shut therein, which result in unstable product quality, and the weight and size of the traditional pig iron casting are not correct and have error. The outer appearance of the traditional pig iron does not look good. Therefore, there will be a desire to develop a new concept for manufacturing the weight training facilities, such as dumbbell and weight stack, to overcome the above mentioned drawbacks.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a weight used for weight training, without using cast iron or steel, so as to save cost.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a weight, wherein the pouring and die casting are adopted to replace traditional casting technique, which do not need manual modeling and the cupola, so as to reduce the energy consumption, air pollution and manufacturing area, lower the working intensity, and improve the productivity.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a weight, which does not have holes and cold shut therein, and has good outer appearance. The weight and size of the weight has little error.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a weight, which can be die-casted by various dies, and has low cost to replace the current weight training facilities.

Accordingly, in order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a method for producing a weight comprising following steps:

(a) grinding a weight material into powder,

(b) mixing the weight material powder with dihydrolipoyl and solidifying agent,

(c) extruding the mixture, and

(d) die-casting the extruded mixture into a weight of a predetermined shape.

These and other objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a dumbbell according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A method for producing a weight according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, in which the method for producing a weight comprises the following steps:

(a) grinding a weight material into powder,

(b) mixing the powder with an additive agent,

(c) extruding the mixture, and

(d) die-casting the extruded mixture into a weight of a predetermined shape.

The weight material comprises a rock comprising barium sulfate ore. The step (a) can be processed in a grinding machine for the rock to be grinded. Therefore, the rock powder is barium sulfate powder. The weight material further comprises iron ore, and the iron ore are grinded in the grinding machine. Furthermore, the weight material further comprises iron powder, and the iron power is grinded in the grinding machine with the rock. Therefore, the weight material powder contains iron in the end to increase the density of the weight.

The additive agent comprises dihydrolipoyl and PVC resin or epoxy resin and solidifying agent. In step (b) of this preferred embodiment, the barium sulfate powder and iron ore power are mixed with epoxy resin and solidifying agent. Therefore, before the step (b), the method for producing a weight further comprises a step (b1) of adding an additive agent into the powder. The step (b) can be processed in a mixing machine for the weight material power and the additive agent to be mixed.

Alternatively, the iron powder can also be added in the powder before the mixing process with the additive agent. Therefore, the method for producing a weight further comprises a step (b2) of adding an iron powder into the powder, so that the iron powder is mixed with the ore powder and the additive agent at the same time in the mixing machine.

After the weight material power is fully mixed with the additive agent, in step (c), the mixture is extruded by an extruding machine. The weight material powder is solidified after extruded from the extruding machine.

In step (d), the extruded mixture is die-casted by a hydraulic machine or a vulcanization machine via a die therein into a weight of a predetermined shape. The predetermined shape can be a shape of a dumbbell, a weight stack, or etc. by using different shaped dies. Therefore, the final product is a weight, such as a dumbbell, weight stack, or etc. to be used for weight training facilities.

The final product has a density up to 3.5-4 g/cm³, and has no hole or cold shut therein, which usually exists in the traditional casting product. The weight and size of the final product has little error, and the final product does not need further treatment by machine.

The method for producing a weight further comprises a step (e) of coating the outer surface of the weight, such as a dumbbell, a weight stack and so on. The step (e) can be embodied as vacuum plating the outer surface of the weight, or be embodied as dipping paint to the outer surface of the weight, or be embodied as spray painting the outer surface of the weight. Therefore, the outer appearance of the weight looks very good.

Overall, the cost of the weight produced by the method described in the preferred embodiment is extremely low, so that it can replace the traditional casting weight training facilities.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the present invention further discloses a weight, such as a dumbbell 1, comprising a weight material 11 and an additive agent 12. The weight material 11 comprises a rock comprising a barium sulfate ore. The weight material 11 further comprises iron ore. Furthermore, the weight material 11 further comprises iron powder. Therefore, the weight material powder contains iron in the end to increase the density of the weight.

The additive agent 12 comprises epoxy resin and solidifying agent. The additive agent 12 may further comprise PVC resin and dihydrolipoyl. The weight material 11 and additive agent 12 is fully mixed and solidified forming a weight, such as dumbbell 1.

The weight, such as dumbbell 1, further comprises a coat 2 coating on an outer surface of the weight. The coat 2 is coated via vacuum plating, dipping paint, or spray painting. Therefore, the outer appearance of the weight looks very good.

The proportion of the barium sulfate ore is 70% to 90%, and the proportion of the epoxy resin and solidifying agent are 5% to 15% respectively. In this preferred embodiment, the proportion of the barium sulfate ore is 80%, and the proportion of the epoxy resin and solidifying agent are 10% respectively. When the density requirement is high, iron ore and iron power can be added into the weight material, so as to increase the density of the barium sulfate ore powder.

One skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment of the present invention as shown in the drawings and described above is exemplary only and not intended to be limiting.

It will thus be seen that the objects of the present invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. It embodiments have been shown and described for the purposes of illustrating the functional and structural principles of the present invention and is subject to change without departure from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims. 

1. A method for producing a weight, comprising steps of: (a) grinding a weight material into powder, (b) mixing said powder with an additive agent forming a mixture, (c) extruding said mixture, and (d) die-casting said extruded mixture into a weight of a predetermined shape.
 2. The method for producing a weight, as recited in claim 1, wherein said weight material comprises a rock.
 3. The method for producing a weight, as recited in claim 2, wherein said rock comprises a barium sulfate ore.
 4. The method for producing a weight, as recited in claim 3, wherein said weight material further comprises an iron ore.
 5. The method for producing a weight, as recited in claim 3, wherein said weight material further comprises an iron powder.
 6. The method for producing a weight, as recited in claim 4, wherein said weight material is grinded in a grinding machine.
 7. The method for producing a weight, as recited in claim 2, wherein said additive agent comprises epoxy resin and solidifying agent.
 8. The method for producing a weight, as recited in claim 3, wherein said additive agent comprises epoxy resin and solidifying agent.
 9. The method for producing a weight, as recited in claim 2, wherein said additive agent further comprises PVC resin powder and dihydrolipoyl.
 10. The method for producing a weight, as recited in claim 3, wherein said additive agent further comprises PVC resin powder and dihydrolipoyl.
 11. The method for producing a weight, as recited in claim 2, further comprising a step (b2) of adding an iron powder into said powder.
 12. The method for producing a weight, as recited in claim 3, further comprising a step (b2) of adding an iron powder into said powder.
 13. The method for producing a weight, as recited in claim 3, in step (c), said mixture is extruded by an extruding machine, and said mixture is solidified after extruded from said extruding machine.
 14. The method for producing a weight, as recited in claim 7, in step (c), said mixture is extruded by an extruding machine, and said mixture is solidified after extruded from said extruding machine.
 15. The method for producing a weight, as recited in claim 13, wherein, in step (d), said extruded mixture is die-casted by a hydraulic machine via a die therein into a weight of a predetermined shape.
 16. The method for producing a weight, as recited in claim 14, wherein, in step (d), said extruded mixture is die-casted by a hydraulic machine via a die therein into a weight of a predetermined shape.
 17. The method for producing a weight, as recited in claim 13, wherein, in step (d), said extruded mixture is die-casted by a vulcanization via a die therein into a weight of a predetermined shape.
 18. The method for producing a weight, as recited in claim 14, wherein, in step (d), said extruded mixture is die-casted by a vulcanization via a die therein into a weight of a predetermined shape.
 19. A weight, produced according to the method of claim
 1. 20. A weight, produced according to the method of claim
 16. 